Football game target

ABSTRACT

A multiple target for use in the play of a simulated football game, utilizing a conventional football. The target includes a goal post over which the football can be kicked; a passing target through which the football can be thrown, and a silhouette target, representing a football player, at which the football is center snapped, for accomplishing various plays to be executed in the play of the game, as well as to afford the player or players practice in kicking, passing and center snapping the football.

[ 51 Aug. 1,1972

United States Patent Russell et a1.

[54] FOOTBALL GAME TARGET [72] Inventors: George D. Russell, 101, Golfview Primary Exami"er Richard Pinkham L Samuel Smith, 40 Ocean Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown Crest Drive, both of Ormond Beach, Atmmey j0hn Randolph Fla. 32074 [57] ABSTRACT A multiple target for use in the play of a simulated [22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 83,418

football game, utilizing a conventional football. The target includes a goal post over which the football can be kicked; a passing target through which the football [52] US. Cl..............273/55 R, 273/55 B, 273/105 R [51] Int. Cl. ....A63b 67/00 .273/55 R, 55 B Id is h can be thrown, and a silhouette target. representing a ie 0 care football player, at which the football is center snapped, for accomplishing various plays to be ex- References Cited ecuted in the play of the game, as well as to afford the UNITED STATES PATENTS player or players practice in kicking, passing and center snapping the football.

2,977,118 3/1961 Farkas........,................273/55 R 3,451,677 6/1969 Nedwick.......... ...273/55 R 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAUG 1 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTORS GEORGE D. RUSSELL SAMUEL E. SMITH ATTORNEY PATENTEIJAUB 1 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.2.

FIG. 5.

INVENTORS GEORGE D. RUSSELL SAMUEL 5.5mm

Y. BY ATTORNEY SUMMARY It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel multiple target for use out-of-doors by one or more players, for executing various plays which are similar to plays of the conventional game of football, and in accordance with a prescribed set of rules for the simulated game, whereby the players are enabled to advance the ball and to score points for determining a winner when the game is played by opposing players or opposing groups of players.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple target which may be utilized by one or more players for practicing passing, place kicking, punting and center snapping the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple target which may be readily dismantled for storage or transportation, which may be readily assembled and set up for use, and which-is sufficiently sturdy and durable to withstand the impact of a thrown or kicked football 'therewith without damage to the target and without causing an overturning thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION .OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the assembled target positioned for use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, partly in section, looking from right to left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary substantially horizontal sectional view taken approximately along the line 33 of FIG. 1; v

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary respective view illustrating details of the structure shown in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to a portion of FIG. 4, and illustrating a slight modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more specifically to the drawings and first with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, the football game target in its entirety is designated generally 10 and includes a goal post or kicking target, designated generally 11, a passing target, designated generally 12, and a center snapping target, designated generally 13.

The goal post or kicking target 11 includes a pair of corresponding upright supports, designated generally 14 and 15, a cross bar 16 and corresponding uprights 17 extending upwardly from the ends of the cross bar 16. The supports 14 and are each A-shaped, as seen in FIG. 2, and each includes a pair of upwardly converging posts 18 connected intermediate of their ends by a cross member 19. The supports 14 and 15 each include a ring 20 which is secured around a portion of the cross member 16 and which has downwardly diverging sockets 21. The upper portions of the posts 18 aresuffciently resilient to enable the restricted upper ends 22 thereof to be detachably received in the sockets 21. The lower ends of the posts 18 are adapted to rest on the ground 23 for supporting the goal post or kicking target 11 in substantially an upright position, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The passing target 12 includes a substantially rigid ring 24 which is suspended from the cross bar 16 by a strap member 25, an upper end of which is secured around the cross bar 16 and the lower end of which is secured around an upper portion of the ring 24, for swingably suspending the ring from the cross bar. The target 12 is located between the supports 14 and 15 and nearer the support 15 than the support 14. An elastic tethering strand 26 has one end anchored to the cross member 19 of the support 15 and its opposite end secured to the ring 24..The large end of a frusto-conical net 27 is secured to the ring 24.

The center snapping target 13 includes a substantially rigid sheet member 28 having a marginal configuration substantially corresponding to the silhouette of a running man with arms outstretched as if to receive a football pass. A front side 29 of the member 28 has imprinted thereon the representation 30 of a football player. Two vertically spaced cleats 31 and 32 are secured to the rear side of the member 28 nearer its upper end than its lower end. Two eye-screws 33 are secured in and extend from each cleat 31 and 32. The members 33 of the two cleats are disposed in substantially vertical alignment. The upper ends of the two ropes or other flexible elements 34 are provided with loops 35 formed by suitable clamps 36. The loops 35 engage loosely around the cross bar 16 to enable said loops to turn thereon. The lower end of each rope 34 has a snap hook 37 attached thereto. The snap hooks 37 are detachably connected to the eyes of the screws 33 of the lower cleat 32. A corresponding snap hook 38 is attached in a loop 39 of each rope 34 and said snap hooks 38 engage the eyes of the screws 33 of the upper cleat 31, for suspending the member 28 in substantially an upright position beneath the cross bar 16 and between the target 12 and the support 14. An elastic tethering element 40 connects the lower portion of the member 28 to the lower part of the front post 18 of the support 14. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ropes 34 support the member 28 with its bottom edge above and out of contact with the ground 23.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a third eye-screw 41 is anchored in the cleat 31 adjacent the target ring 24 and has one end of an elastic strand 42 secured thereto. The strand 42 extends around an adjacent portion of the ring 24 and has a snap hook 43 secured to its other end and which is detachably connected to the eye of the screw 41, to combine with the tethering element 26 to yieldably resist swinging movement of the target 12 rearwardly, or from left to right of FIG. 2.

In plays of the game involving the throwing of a pass, the player throws a football, not shown, at the target 12 from a predetermined distance in front of the target. The restricted open end 44 of the net 26 is sufficiently large to allow the football to pass therethrough and so that it can be visually determined if a successful pass has been thrown. Elastic elements 26 and 42 and the flexible strap 25 allow the target 12 to yield when struck by the football to prevent damage thereto.

For other plays involving a punt, or placement kick, the player kicks the ball from a predetermined distance in front of the target 10. If the ball passes over the cross bar 16 and between the uprights 17, a successful kick has been made.

For certain kicking plays, the player is initially required to make a center snap of the football from a prescribed distance in front of the target 10. If the ball strikes the target 13, a successful center snap has been accomplished entitling the player to then kick the foot ball. The ropes 34 and tethering element 40 will allow the target 13 to yield rearwardly when struck by a foot ball to prevent damage thereto.

FIG. 8 illustrates a slight modification of the passing target 13 and wherein the eye-screws 33 are anchored in and extend upwardly rather than rearwardly from the cleats 31 and 32.

The target can be readily dismantled by detaching the terminals 22 of the supports 14 and 15 from the sockets 21 The snap hooks 37 and 38 may be detached from the eye-screws 33 and the tethering element 40 can either be detached from the post 18 engaged thereby or from the member 28.

The snap hook 43 can be disconnected to complete detachment of the member 28, and the hanger and tethering element 26 can be detached from the ring 24 to complete detachment of the target 12 from the target 13 and from the target 11.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to without departing from the functions or scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1 A football game target comprising a goal post constituting a kicking target, said kicking target including a cross bar, a passing target including a ring, means swingably suspending said ring from the cross bar, a center snap target including a silhouette representation of a football player, and means swingably suspending said center snap target from the cross bar, said center snap target being disposed to one side of an adjacent said passing target.

2. A football game target as in claim 1, said goal post including uprights rising from the ends of the cross bar, and ground engaging supports extending downwardly from the cross bar and being adapted to rest on the ground for supporting said kicking target in substantially an upright position.

3. A football game target as in claim 2, elastic means tethering said target ring to one of the ground engaging supports located adjacent thereto, and elastic means tethering the target ring to the center snap target and remote from said first mentioned elastic means.

4. A football game target as in claim 3, and elastic means tethering a lower portion of the center snap target to the other ground engaging support.

5. A football game target as in claim 1, and said passing target including a frusto-conical net having an enlarged end connected to the target ring and a restricted opposite open rear end sized for the passage of a football therethrough.

6. A football game target as in claim 2, said ground engaging supports each including an A-frame.

7. A football game target as in claim 5, and means detachably connecting said A-frame to the cross bar,

8. A football game target as in claim 1, and means detachabl connectin th assin tar et and the center sn p target to the lugkmg arget and to one another. 

1. A football game target comprising a goal post constituting a kicking target, said kicking target including a cross bar, a passing target including a ring, means swingably suspending said ring from the cross bar, a center snap target including a silhouette representation of a football player, and means swingably suspending said center snap target from the cross bar, said center snap target being disposed to one side of an adjacent said passing target.
 2. A football game target as in claim 1, said goal post including uprights rising from the ends of the cross bar, and ground engaging supports extending downwardly from the cross bar and being adapted to rest on the ground for supporting said kicking target in substantially an upright position.
 3. A football game target as in claim 2, elastic means tethering said target ring to one of the ground engaging supports located adjacent thereto, and elastic means tethering the target ring to the center snap target and remote from said first mentioned elastic means.
 4. A football game target as in claim 3, and elastic means tethering a lower portion of the center snap target to the other ground engaging support.
 5. A football game target as in claim 1, and said passing target including a frusto-conical net having an enlarged end connected to the target ring and a restricted opposite open rear end sized for the passage of a football therethrough.
 6. A football game target as in claim 2, said ground engaging supports each including an A-frame.
 7. A football game target as in claim 5, and means detachably connecting said A-frame to the cross bar.
 8. A football game target as in claim 1, and means detachably connecting the passing target and the center snap target to the kicking target and to one another. 